Improved bilge-water gage



W. P. KIRKLAND.

Bilge Water Gage. No. 56,763. Patented My 31, 1866.

#WW a lINITEn STATES PATENT OrFtcn.

WILLIAM P. KIRKLAND, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IM PROVED BlLGE-WATER GAGE.

Specification forming part ofLetters Patent No. 56,763, dated July 31,1866.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. KIRKLAND, ofSan Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California,have invented a new and Improved Bilge-Water Gage; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which Figure 1 represents a longitudinal verticalsection of this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section ofthe same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the scale-tube and index detached.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to a bilge-water gage which is composed of aperforated box containing a float which acts on an index-rod extendingup through a tube to the deck, so that the depth of the water in thehold can be ascertained at a glance. The starboard and larboard sides ofthe perforated box are provided on their inner surfaces with valveswhich close the holes in the lower portion of said box when the vesselrolls, and prevent violent fluotuations of the float and index. Thefloat itself is constructed of a piece of cork coated with asphaltum orother suitable material, to protect it against the influence of thesea-water, and said float is provided with a socket the bottom'of whichis composed of a glass plate, so as to prevent the end of the indexrodfrom penetrating into the cork.

A represents a box made of wood or any other suitable material, square,oblong, or in any other desirable form or shape. This box is arrangedtransversely in the hold of a vessel, and its larboard and starboardsides, a b, are perforated with holes a 1) near to the bottom edge ofthe box, whereas the other sides, 0 d--that is, those facing toward thestern and toward the bow of the vessel, are perforated with holes a [1,near to the top edge of the box or above the middle of the heightthereof.

The interior of the box A is occupied by a float, B, of cork or othersuitable material, which is coated with asphaltum or other suitablematerial capable of protectin g the same against the influence of thewater, to which it is exposed. Said float is provided with a socket, e,on or in its upper surface, and the bottom of this socket is protectedby a disk, f, of glass or other hard material which is not affected bysea-water. On this disk rests a rod, 9, which extends up through a pipe,h, that is secured in the top of the box A, and it is provided with oneor more friction-rollers, i, which serveto keep said rod in an uprightposition and to prevent unnecessary friction between it and the pipe h.The rod g carries on its upper end an index, j, which projects through aslot, is, in the side of the pipe h, and points on a scale, 1, marked onone or both sides of said slot. If desired, the rod 9 itself may bemarked with a scale, m, which is visible as the same rises above theupper edge of the pipeh, and if the rigging of the sails or other partsdo notinterfere, this'scale is sufficient for all practical purposes butin cases where the rod, when raised much above the upper edge of thepipe, would interfere with the rigging or other parts of the vessel, thescale I on the outer surface of the pipe h has to be used; or bothscales may be used conjointly, if desired The inner surfaces of thelarboard and starboard sides of the box A are chamfered off, as shown inFig. 1, and aprons C are secured to the same. These aprons are made ofleather or other flexible material, and they are so arranged that theyleave the holes a I) open as long as the vessel remains on an even keelor in an upright position; but if the vessel rolls either one or theother of said aprons drops against the inner side of the box, and thewater contained in said box is prevented from escaping.

By this arrangement violent changes in the position of the float areavoided and the correct height of the bilge-water contained in the holdof the vessel can be ascertained at any moment.

The adjustment of this gage in a vessel and its operation are asfollows: The box A is placed in the hold of the vessel near the pumps,the float being adjusted in the box, and a hole is made through thevessels deck (or a groove may be made in the pump-stock) sufficientlylarge to pass the pipe it through. Said pipe I is of sufficient lengthto project above the deck, and the rod g is passed down through the pipeand placed within the socket on the float, with its index-pointprojecting through the slot made in the upper end of the pipe h.

The water in the vessel enters the box through the holes made for thatpurpose, and itis detained in the same, when the vessel rolls, by meansof the aprons 0. As the water rises in the vessel the float is carriedup, and with it the rod g, which shows above deck, by means of theindex-point, the depth of the water in inches, as indicated by the scaleon the pipe h.

When the depth of the water in the vessel is greater than the length ofthe slot in the pipe h the rod 9 will project above the pipe and exposeto view the figures thereon, and thus the capacity of the scale isincreased, or, if desired, the scale on the pipe h may be omitted andthe depth of the water in the hold determined by the scale on the rod,as previously stated.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The aprons 0,applied to the perforated starboard and larboard sides of the box A,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The disk f, of glass or other suitable material, in combination withthe float B and index-rod g, constructed and operating substantially asand for the purpose specified.

WILLIAM P. KIRKLAND.

Witnesses:

W. A. HENRY, A. H. MEYERPETER.

